Man Claims ‘Public Shaming’ by Cape Breton Police

A 73-year-old man who says police in Cape Breton subjected him to “public shaming” has lost his initial bid to challenge a charge that he sought sexual services from an undercover cop. John Russell Mercer was one of 27 men charged in September of 2015 after Cape Breton Regional Police concluded “Operation John Be Gone,”. Provincial court Judge Brian Williston, in a decision released earlier this week, ruled against Mercer who challenged to have the charge dropped. Mercer argued the decision by police to stage a news conference to release the names, ages and addresses amounted to an abuse of the criminal justice process.